Patent GB-663941-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to machines for wet or dry cleaning or the like
IPC: D06F37/30
Filed: 1948-01-23
Abstract: <PICT:0663941/IV (c)/1> <PICT:0663941/IV (c)/2> <PICT:0663941/IV (c)/3> A laundry or dry-cleaning machine comprises a drum which can be rotated by a main uni-directional drive, a reversing drive, or an inching drive, each drive being powered by a separate motor, preferably electric, so arranged that only one can be connected to the drum at any one time.  The inching drive brings the drum round to a position where doors in the drum line up with doors in the outer casing.  Two main controls are provided, one for switching in the washing motor or the hydro-extracting motor or for switching off both motors, and a second for applying the brake to the drum; these controls are interlocked so that the brake can be applied only when the two main motors are switched off.  A third control for the inching motor may be provided and this may be interlocked with the other controls so that the drum cannot be inched if it is already being driven at washing or at extracting speed, and it may be interlocked with a detent device to hold the drum stationary so that when the detent functions the inching motor is switched off and doors in the outer casing may be opened, and so long as such doors remain open none of the motors can be started.  As shown in Fig. 1, the machine comprises a perforated drum 1 rotatable within a stationary outer casing 4, there being an inlet for hot air at 46 for drying. The drum is rotated at high <PICT:0663941/IV (c)/4> <PICT:0663941/IV (c)/5> <PICT:0663941/IV (c)/6> speed for centrifugal drying by motor 51 and belt drive 52 to pulley 53.  Slow speed for washing is obtained from motor 5, belt drive 8 and pulley 9 through the gear-box 7.  Very slow speed for inching is obtained from the motor 45, belt drive 40 and pulley 41 also through the gear-box 7.  The gear-box 7, shown in longitudinal section in Fig. 3 and cross-section in Fig. 4, comprises a main shaft 14 coupled to the shaft 2 of the drum by a flexible coupling 19, to which is secured the pulley 53 for transmitting the high-speed drive.  The slow-speed drive through pulley 9 is transmitted by shaft 6 and pinion 11 to the gear 12 which is freely rotatable by bearings 13 on the mainshaft 14. During the slow-speed drive from motor 5 for washing, the shaft 6 also drives worm and worm wheel 20, 21 shaft 22, crank disc 24, Fig. 9, crank arm 25 and reversing switch 26 for the motor 5, so geared that the drum executes about seven revolutions to each half revolution of the crank disc 24, whereupon its direction of rotation is reversed.  The gear 12 may be clutched to the mainshaft 14 by a dog clutch 15 splined to the mainshaft, operable by a fork 16 mounted on the actuating shaft 17, which projects through the gear-box at both ends.  At its front end the actuating shaft 17 carries a lever 18, Fig. 5, adjustable to three positions; in the left-hand position the motor 51 is switched on and the drum rotated at high speed, in the right-hand position the motor 5 is switched on and the dog clutch 15 engaged to rotate the drum at washing speed during which the pulley 53 drives the motor 51 idly, in the central position both motors 51 and 5 are switched off. At its rear end, the actuating shaft 17, Fig. 9, is connected by links 48, 49 to a two-way switch 50 controlling the motors 51 and 5. As shown in Fig. 5, when the control lever 18 is in "stop" position, slot 153 is opposite a projection 59 on the shaft 67 so permitting the lever 47 to be moved to the left to brake the drum.  The shaft 67, Fig. 3, carries a fork 66 for engaging the normally disengaged clutch plates 71, 72 of which plates 72 rotate with the sleeve 27 keyed to the mainshaft 14, and plates 71 are held by the sleeve 30, rotatably mounted on the stationary tubular support 32, but held against rotation by the worm wheel 31, which is fast with the sleeve 30, engaging the non-reversible worm 36.  Thus movement of the brake lever 47 to the left engages the clutch and brakes the drum.  If desired, the brake may be applied automatically whenever the control lever 18 is moved to the "stop" position.  This may be done by biasing the brake-operating shaft 67 to the "on" position by an adjustable spring 74, Fig. 9, so that when the slot 53, Fig. 5, is aligned to permit the projection 59 to enter, the brake is applied. With the brake lever 47 pegged at the "on" position, the inching motor 45 is switched on.  This drives pulley 41, shaft 35 and the above-mentioned worm and worm wheel 36, 31 to drive through the disc clutch the mainshaft 14, and hence the drum.  To ensure that the drum stops in the correct position for unloading, two diametrically opposite holes 83, 84, Fig. 5, are provided in the end plate of the drum.  Movement of the handle 78 to the left causes a bolt 77 to enter one of the holes 83, 84 and also moves a rod 82 to the right to trip the switch 86 and so disconnect the inching motor, and to cause a detent 60 to enter a slotted projection 54 on the lever 18 to lock the latter and so prevent either of the main motors from being started.  As shown in Fig. 10, the doors 87 in the outer casing are hinged on brackets 89 and each is provided with a quadrant 94 which impinges on the locking bar 88 to prevent the door being opened. When the handle 78 is moved to the left to lock the drum in the correct position for unloading, the bar 88 is moved to the left so that each quadrant 94 may enter a slot 93 in the locking bar and so permit the door 87 to be opened.  Specification 602,241, [Group XIII], is referred to in the Provisional Specification.